Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:
1776 – The Second Continental Congress changes the name of the nation from the United Colonies to the United States of America (More info)
1850 – California is admitted as the 31st US state, bypassing the usual waiting period of being a territory first (More info)
Dozens of wildfires have destroyed more than 1,000 homes in Texas and California in the past week.
Fueled by drought conditions and wind gusts from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee, the massive Bastrop County Complex fire east of Austin is the most destructive fire of the year, Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd said. Despite the efforts of hundreds of firefighters, the blaze has grown to 30,000 acres and is still uncontained.
We've been doing the 50-state thing since Hawaii got the nod in 1959. But if one California politician gets his way, we're going to have to add another star to the flag.
Jeff Stone, who sits on Riverside County Board of Supervisors, is proposing that his and 12 other counties in the southern half of California break away from the Golden State and form their own state called South California.
January 18, 2011 